“Hell No!” Emmitt Smith shuts down Josh Allen and backs Patrick Mahomes as the only elite QB

The Josh Allen vs Patrick Mahomes debate never really cools down. It just waits for the right voice to reignite it. This time, that voice belonged to Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith. And he did not sit on the fence. Smith made it clear that when it comes to the word “elite,” he believes only one quarterback in today’s NFL truly earns it.

Patrick Mahomes.

Emmitt Smith draws a hard line on “elite” quarterbacks

During Super Bowl LX media week in New Orleans, Emmitt Smith appeared on Kevin Clark’s This Is Football podcast. The discussion turned to how casually the league uses the term "elite," especially when applied to quarterbacks. Smith pushed back hard.“Hell no,” Smith said on the show when Josh Allen’s name came up. He followed it with a firm explanation. “Elite quarterbacks rise up in extreme circumstances and lead their squad.

He puts them on his back and carries them where they need to go.”

HOF made it clear why Patrick Mahomes stands alone in his eyes. He pointed to Mahomes’ ability to win when things break down, when protection fails, and when stars around him struggle. According to Smith, Mahomes already learned how to survive chaos. Others, including Josh Allen, still chase that level.Kevin Clark argued that elite quarterbacks keep championship windows open wherever they play.

Smith rejected that idea. On the same podcast, he said, “Elite quarterbacks show up when others are not showing up. These others are still learning how to become an elite quarterback.”The sharpest criticism landed on Josh Allen. Smith tied Buffalo’s latest playoff exit directly to Allen’s decision-making. He stressed that protecting the football defines greatness. “The football is the most important thing on the field, not him,” Smith said, again during the segment.

He blamed turnovers and late-game mistakes for the Bills falling short in the 2025 postseason.Smith did not stop with Allen. He also left Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow outside the elite label. To explain his standard, he looked backwards. He named Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Troy Aikman, and Dan Marino as quarterbacks who consistently rose above the moment.That history matters to Smith. It frames why the Josh Allen Patrick Mahomes debate still has a gap in his mind. Allen piles up stats. Mahomes stacks moments.Until Allen delivers when everything goes wrong, Smith believes the chase continues. For now, in his words and by his definition, Patrick Mahomes stands alone.